Generally, refrigerators in which a sterilizing and deodoring means is installed for sterilizing floating bacteria and for removing foul odor have been proposed.
One of the examples is the refrigerator which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Heisei-1-300184 dated Dec. 4, 1989, the application being filed on May 26, 1985 by Mitsubishi Denki Co. , Ltd. of Japan.
This refrigerator of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Heisei-1-300184 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this refrigerator, a duct cover 10' forms a duct 15', and the refrigerator further includes: an ozone generator 4' installed within the duct 15' so as for ozone to be introduced into the duct 15'; a high voltage generator 5' installed within the duct 15' for supplying a high voltage to the ozone generator 4'; a reaction chamber 6' for decomposing the particles of the foul odor by reacting the foul odor reacted with the ozone which is generated by the ozone generator 4' upon receiving the high voltage from the high voltage generator 5'; and an ozone decomposing device 7' installed between the reaction chamber 6' and a discharge hole 10a' of the duct 15' for decomposing the remaining ozone.
In this conventional refrigerator, the ozone generator 4' and other devices are installed within the duct 15', and a separate fan and a fan motor for the deodorizer are not required, with the result that the manufacturing cost can be saved, and that a wide space within the refrigerator can be utilized. However, the cold air which has passed around an evaporator is supplied to the ozone generator 4', so that the foul odor cannot be effectively removed, so that the undecomposed ozone would be supplied into the refrigerator.
That is, in the conventional refrigerator, the cold air from the evaporator (about -20 degrees C) is directly supplied into the reaction chamber 6', and therefore, frost adheres on the surfaces of the ozone generator 4' and the ozone decomposing device 7'.
Consequently, the production rate of the ozone from the ozone generator 4' is decreased, with the result that the foul odor cannot be effectively removed, and that the ozone decomposing device 7' cannot decompose the ozone in an efficient manner, thereby supplying the ozone into the refrigerator.
That is, in the conventional refrigerator, the cold air which has passed around the evaporator is directly supplied into the ozone generator, with the result that the foul odor cannot be effectively removed. Further, the undecomposed ozone is supplied into the refrigerator, so that the freshness of food would be deteriorate.